Hydraulic rotatory and translatory device



Nov. 6, 1934. H, BENIT HYDRAULIC ROTATORY AND TRANSLATORY DEVICE FiledJune 1952 ,Inventofl UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE HYDRAULIC ROTATORY ANDTRAN S- LATORY DEVICE Henri Bnit, Paris, France, assignor to CompagnieGenerale DElectricite, Paris, France Application June 3, 1932, SerialNo. 615,206 In Germany June 4, 1931 1 Claim.

For the handling of certain loads, such as drums for coiling long andheavy cables, means are generally provided to rotate these drums as wellas move the same vertically for the purpose of winding or unwinding thecable. These means ordinarily comprise devices of turntable andscrew-jack arrangements coupled together to obtain a helicoidalmovement.

However, when it is necessary to design turntables having very importantdimensions and vertical displacements of great amplitude, the mechanicalproblem presents great difliculties owing to the considerable masses tobe displaced, the lack of precision in the construction of very largediameter roller-tracks, and the difficulty of raising important loadsconveniently guided.

According to the present invention a circular tank is made to float in areservoir filled with water or any other liquid, the said tanksupporting the weight of the cable drum or other body to besimultaneously rotated and raised, and being guided by a central axis,and the said reservoir being capable of being filled or emptied toobtain the required upward or downward displacement.

The annexed drawing shows an embodiment of the invention, 1 is thereservoir filled with water or other liquid, 2 is the circular tankfloating in the reservoir, 3 is the central axis formed by a fixedvertical tube about which the tank 2 can rotate and be displacedvertically. The taps 4 and 5 enable the reservoir to be filled oremptied to obtain the upward or downward displacement of the load. Thefloating tank 2 comprises radius members 6 enabling the carrying of oneor more movable drums 7 upon which a cable is wound according to thefixed direction 8.

As an example, an elevational view is shown representing two drums '7,the smaller drum having already received a determined quantity of cable,and the larger drum, after filling of the first, being disposed toreceive also a cable.

The vertical translatory movement of the tank gage splines provided onthe tube 3, thereby preventing rotation of the platform with the tank 2.

The platform 10 comprises driving means 13 actuated by an electric motorfed by a flexible cable 14; these driving means further include adriving pinion l5 meshing with the gear 9, to rotate the tank integralwith the gear, while permitting the free vertical translation of saidtank.

The device herein described ensures through the interposition of thefloat a perfectly uniform distribution of the load on the liquid, and agreat freedom of rotation, the power needed for this rotation beingreduced to that necessary to overcome the friction of the float on theliquid. The upward and downward displacements of the float are obtainedby the mere operation of the inlet and outlet cocks for the liquid. Thedevice is free from hydraulic joints and necessitates no maintenance.

This invention is not only applicable to cable factory material for thewinding of heavy large section cables on large diameter drums, but alsofor the handling of any heavy large diameter material in view of windingor unwinding operations.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is:

In a device for producing an helicoidal movement constituted by avertical translatory movement combined with a rotary movement andadapted to the winding of cable on large diameter drums and including aliquid reservoir, a float adapted to support the drum to be wound, avertical shaft secured to the bottom of the reservoir and along whichthe float is adapted to be displaced, means to rotate the said floataround the said shaft, and means to regulate the hydraulic lift exertedon the float to obtain the required helicoidal movement of the cabledrum.

HENRI BENIT.

2 is effectuated by the operation of the taps 4 and 5; the inlet tap 4enabling the raising of water in the reservoir, and the water outlet 5permitting the lowering thereof.

During this translatory movement, the tank 2 is centered on the verticaltube 3 by means of bearings integral with the tank, the upper hearingcomprising a gear 9.

Upon the gear 9 a platform 10 is disposed through the intermediary of aball thrust bearing 11. To limit the movement of the platform tovertical translatory movement only, teeth 12 en-

